Shower head and liquid soap dispensing and metering means



Jan. 25, 1966 J. I. HEALD SHOWER HEAD AND LIQUID SOAP DISPENSING ANDMETERING MEANS Filed Aug. 5, 1963 Fig. 2

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Jerome Hea/a' IN VENTOR.

United States Patent C 3,231,200 SHOWER HEAD AND LIQUID SOAP DISPENSINGAND METERING MEANS Jerome I. Heald, Sam Heald (30., 1M9 Walnut Ave.,Long Beach 6, Calif. Filed Aug. 5, 1963, Ser. No. 299,957 4 Claims. (Cl.239-318) This invention relates to a shower head which is distinct anddifferent from prior art shower head constructions in that the portionof conduit between its stall or wall attached end and thenozzle-equipped end is provided with a specially designed coupling, saidcoupling having a dual-purpose valve, and the latter suspending aconcentrated liquid soap container and soap metering and economizingmeans coordinated therewith.

By way of introduction, it seems advisable and significant to point outthat the subject matter herein shown, described and claimed has to do,at least in part, with an advance in the art which is regarded as animprovement on my copending application for patent Serial No. 281,681,and now abandoned directed to a shower head siphoning means andcooperative facilities therefor. The instant matter, comparablyanalogous to my copending application, invokes the use of a fiow throughcoupling incorporated in the city water delivery conduit, said coupling(often referred to generally as a T-type coupling). More particularly,the improved coupling has screw threaded ends with which sections of theshower head conduit are communicatively connected, said coupling havinga gradually tapering restrictive passage for the shower water. Also,means is cornmunicatively connected with the coupling and its passage toaccommodate a suction or siphon hose or tube which is used in picking upand directly supplying atmospheric air to the flow water or stream andwhich can be utilized to cooperate with a liquid container and employedin such a manner that an aerated sudsy or saponaceous liquid isdelivered to and proportionally mixed with the water stream which issuesthrough the spray head or nozzle.

Experimental usage of the embodiment of the invention above identifiedas copending Serial No. 281,681, now abandoned has repeatedly shown thatwhereas the desirable step of introducing atmospheric air into thepressurized shower water passing through the conduit is thought to be anacceptably satisfactory water aerating step, an additional soaping orsudsing step (which utilizes aerated liquid soap from a suitablecomplemental container) andwhich functions to automatically lather thebody of the user, has proved out to be objectionable because of the factthat it takes only about one minute to dissipate approximately fourteenounces of liquid soap. It follows that a significant objective in theinstant improved disclosure is to not only retard but to appreciablyprolong and effectually maintain the aerated sudsing stepuninterruptedly but, and this is important, to minutely meter thedischarge of the liquid soap from its container so that it is now twentytimes, more or less, as economical to utilize the improved constructionthan is accomplished when using the aforementioned copending adaption.

Also, and as will be hereinafter more clearly disclosed and appreciated,the present invention utilizes, briefly construed, a concentrated liquidsoap bottle or container preferably having a threaded neck to besuspended from a supported screw cap, and a soap intake, metering,agitating and sudsing device which is such that it depends into thecontainer when the latter is attached for use. This device has aplurality of air intake ports adjacent the upper end and above the soaplevel for drawing in air when suction is applied. It also has air intakemeans adjacent the bottom which functions to draw the concentratedliquid soap in drop-by-drop manner into a collectice ing chamber whereagitation takes place preparatory to siphoning the aerated lather orbubbles into the aforementioned coupling for mixture with the outgoingpressurized shower water.

Also, and as will be hereinafter evident, a shower head constructed inaccordance with the present invention acts on the soap concentrate byway of a vertically elongated vessel-like tube which depends into thesoap in the container and, having a restricted intake orifice, resultsin the taking into the bulbous like chamber thereof mixable drops duringthe sudsing step, aerates it to a point of maximum saponification beforeit is elevated by the suction or siphoning tube into the aforementionedT-coupling for admixture with the outfiowing water.

To be more specific, what happens is that during the sudsing step air isdrawn into the metering and economizing tube and is mixed with each dropof the incoming concentrated liquid soap, that is as it seeps throughthe restricted orifice (weep hole) and during which time the turbulencewhich takes place in the bulbous-like trap acts to transform the air anddroplets of soap concentrate into the aerated product to be elevated andmixed with the shower water. In fact it may be added that the inventionfunctions to bring about the desired intake, agitating and mixing stepswith the action so fast that there is a virtually continuous aeratedsoapy water which is dispensed from the spray head or nozzle, the soapin the container being so slowly used up that its progressivedisappearance is almost imperceptible.

These together with other objects and advantages which will becomesubsequently apparent reside in the details of construction andoperation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, whereinlike numerals refer to like parts throughout, and. in which:

FIG. 1 is a view showing a fragmentary portion of a shower stall withthe shower head (nozzle supported conduit) and which has the improvedcoupling and aerated soap supply means embodied and thus readied foruse.

FIG. 2 is a view on an appreciably enlarged scale with parts and sectionin elevation which serves to show the aforementioned special restrictioncoupling, depending valve, and the additional component parts suspendedfrom the valve to provide the economized soap supply result.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary view the purpose of which is to show how thevalve handle is turned to utilize the valve to optionally take in showerwater aerating air as a step preparatory to siphoning the aerated liquidsoap and mixing it with the shower water.

FIG. 4 is a view based on FIG. 3 and showing the valve element in openaerating air intake position.

Referring now to FIG. 1, the numeral 6 designates the shower stall or anequivalent wall (with or without the tub) and from and beyond which theshower head 8 projects. The expression shower head here used comprisesthe pressurized or city water delivery conduit 10 on whose discharge endthe spray head or equivalent nozzle 12 is operatively supported. In theinstant case the conduit comprises an inward supply pipe connection ornipple 14 and a complemental section 16. The threaded ends 18 and 19 ofthese sections are screwed into outer and inner screw threaded sockets20 and 21 provided therefor at the ends of the special T or equivalentcoupling 22. It will be noticed in FIG. 2 that the longitudinal passageor bore through this coupling has complemental gradually tapering orrestricted conical portions 23 and 24 which together provide aventuri-like passage. This passage functions with the aid of the sideauxiliary intake passage 26 in providing the desired restriction andsiphoning result. A screw threaded socket 28 in the bottom of thecoupling communicates with the auxiliary passage 26. The threaded end 30of a dualpurpose globe-type valve 32 is screwed into the socket 28. Themain flow passage through the valve is denoted at 34, the intake endthereof being denoted in FIG. 2 at 36. The rotary valve element 38 has amain passage 40 which registrable as seen in FIG. 2 with the flowpassage 34. It is also provided on one side with an optionally usablerestricted air intake port 42 which is selectively registrable with theatmospheric air inlet 44 in the valve body. By comparing FIGS. 2 and 4the controllable action of the valve element will be clear. For example,as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, by turning the crank handle-46 to thehorizontal position shown the pssage at then lines up with the intake 44and the port 42 lines up with the passage 34 so as to introduceatmospheric aerating air in a manner to be described.

A special screw threaded fitting 48 is screwed into the flanged end 55)of the valve in the manner shown in FIG. 2 and the threaded lowerportion 52 thereof is simultaneously connected with and supportsinverted screw threaded cap 54 and the aforementioned liquid soapmetering, proportioning, agitating and aerating means 56. Specifically,this means comprises a tube of pre* requisite length having its upperscrew threaded end joined with the fitting 52 and provided with aplurality of circumferentially spaced air intake ports 58 communicablewith the atmospheric air inlet holes or vents 6% in the top of the screwcap 54. In practice the screw threaded rim 62 of this cap serves tosupport the screw threaded neck 64 at the top of the concentrated liquidsoap container 56. The container is here shown in the form of a soapconcentrate containing plastic or equivalent bottle whose bottom isdenoted at 68. It is within the purview of the invention to retail thisspecial soap concentrate bottle so that it may be taken home, the screwcap (not shown) removed after which the screw threaded neck 64 can thenbe screwed up into the special adapter cap 54. Getting back to theeconomizing and metering tube 56, it will be noted that the lower endthereof is of bulbous form as at 7 t) and it is provided near itscurvate bottom 72 with a single restricted soap intake orifice 74.Reverting to the fitting 48 it will be noted that this fitting isprovided with a depending suction or siphoning tube 76 whose lower end'78 depends to a level below the orifice 74 but terminates in a planeabove the convex end 72. This cooperation of (1) the end 78, (2) orifice'74 and (3) bulbous part 70 provides a significantly unique soap-dropaccumulating and agitating chamber or well.

It will be evident that the screw threaded upper end portion fat? of thevalve 32 screws into the socket 28 provided therefor in proper alignmentwith the restricted passage 26 which opens into the flow restrictionpassage 23 and 24. This valve is unique in that it can be operated inthe manner shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 for the purpose of sucking in air whenthe shower head is turned on. Consequently, the user can, as a firststep, merely aerate the shower water. When this invigorating initialstep has been completed the shower water can be further treated by theaddition thereto of the desired aerated sudsy additive, that is, the airand soap mixed and sucked into the passage 23 and 24 for admixture withthe outflowing shower water.

Inasmuch as the diameter of the orifice or seepage hole 74 is sized inratio to the concentration of liquid soap, movement of air, and size ofexpansion area 70, the correct amount of concentrated liquid soap to airin motion gives the maximum aerification of the soap before beingblended in the shower water for sudsing purposes.

Without the featured improvement (see parts 56, 70, 72, '74, 76 and 78)it would take about one minute to dissipate approximately fourteenounces of liquid soap from the container or bottle. But with theimprovements, as brought out in FIG. 2, it takes at least twenty 1.3.minutes more or less to empty the soap bottle or container in aprogressive step-hy-step economizing manner.

The atomization of liquid concentrate in air causes each drop to convertitself into an efiective suds upon contact with the flowing water, andautomatically accomplishes a commercial and practical way of cleaningand softening ones skin in a shower bath.

The weight of the liquid soap concentrate, combined with the velocity ofair, and the size of the soap hole or orifice 74 in the outer tubeportion 70, determines the richness of suds, when combined in the flowof water. The velocity of air is determined by the velocity of waterflow, thus the metering ratio remains the same.

in a revealing test with the outer tube 56, I found my inventionprovided six gallons of suds in a three minute period with waterpressure at fifty pounds, and consumed only one and one-half ounces ofliquid concentrate. This means approximately 768 ounces of suds.Dividing 1 /2 ounces of concentrate into 768 ounces of suds, means thatapproximately 500 parts of suds are created from the use of each part ofliquid concentrate. This means that a person can take his time whilecleaning and softening his skin with aerated, soft suds in the shower,without being subjected to slippery, wasteful, too strong a concentrate,too costly, too inconvenient method of having to refill the container,or to be subjected to having to shut off the soaping period sooner thandesired for conservation purposes.

This means good therapy. Knowing the economical advantages of this meansof metering the soap or oil, a person is inclined to relax and enjoy theWarm, soft sudsing he feels during the soaping phase.

It is submitted that the careful consideration of the specification inconjunction with the illustrative views of the drawing and the inventionis claimed will enable the reader to obtain a clear and comprehensiveunderstanding of the present invention. Under the circumstances, a moreextended description is regarded as unnecessary.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles ofthe invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes willreadily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limitthe invention to the exact construction and operation shown anddescribed, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalentsmay be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention asclaimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. In combination, a shower head assembly embodying a conduit having awater-intake nipple section at an inner end, a nozzle downturned sectionat an outer end provided with a terminal manually regulatable showerhead, the inner adjacent end portions of said sections being axiallyaligned and connected together by an intervening coupling having agradually enlarged axial passage therethrough, said passage tapering andconstituting venturi restriction, a median portion of said couplingbeing provided with a proportionally restricted auxiliary orifice andfurther provided with a depending globe-type valve the passage of whichis in communication with said venturi by way of said auxiliary orifice,said globe valve having a limited aerating intake port in one side andhaving a valve element which is conveniently and accessibly openable andcontrollable, an elongated siphoning tube connected communicatively atan upper end to the lower end of the passage in said valve and dependingtherefrom and open at its bottom, a container attaching and supportingcap having a top portion provided with air vents and a dependingscrew-threaded rim portion, a concentrated liquid soap container havinga neck at its upper end connected to and suspended removably from saidrim portion, said siphoning tube extending axially down into thecontainer portion of the container and having its lower end terminatingadjacent the bottom thereof, and a second tube complemental to saidsiphoning tube 5 and enclosing said siphoning tube and having an upperend cooperatively associated with said cap and the upper end of saidsiphoning tube and provided with circumferentially spaced air intakeports, the lower end of said second tube enclosing the lower open end ofsaid siphoning tube, being radially spaced therefrom and providing asoap concentrate receiving and mixing chamber and provided with a singlerestricted soap seepage hole communicating with the container portionand said chamber and located at a level above the level of the loweropen end of said siphoning tube.

2. In combination, a shower head assembly embodying a conduit having apressurized water intake at an inner end, a manually regulatable showerhead at its outer discharge end, a venturi restriction intermediate saidends, and a valve operatively mounted on said conduit and having amanually valved passage directly communicative with said venturirestriction, said valve having a restricted optionally usableatmospheric air intake which enables the user to open the valve andintroduce and mix aerating air with the shower water, said valve beingprovided with a main axial passage which is structurally designed andadapted to suck and deliver aerated liquid soap therethrough anddirectly into a median part of the venturi restriction, said valve beingalso provided with a valve element for opening and closing the airinlet, said valve element being provided with an external easilyaccessible and reachable valve handle, said valve handle beingselectively positionable so that the user can open and close the axialpassage or alternatively, the air inlet at will, said valve beingprovided at the lower end thereof with a complemental open-endedsiphoning tube provided at its upper end with a screw-threaded axiallybored fitting, said fitting being connected with a screwthreaded bottomportion of said valve and having its bore registering with said mainpasage, a bottle supporting cap connected centrally to and supported bysaid fitting, said cap having air intake vents, and a second tubecomplemental to said siphoning tube and having an upper end connected tothe fitting, said upper end being provided proximal to said fitting withair inlet orifices, the lower end of said tube being enlarged, ofbulbous form and provided with an intake orifice for concentrated liquidsoap, said siphoning tube telescoping into said second tube and havingits lower end terminating above the bottom of said bulbous portion at alevel below said soap intake orifice.

3. In a structure of the class described, a coupling adapted to beincorporated in the median portion of a fluid conducting conduit havinga pressure-drop flow restriction passage, provided in one sideintermediate its ends with a restricted auxiliary passage communicatingwith the flow restriction passage and being further provided with amanually regulatable selective valve, said valve being of a two-wayconstruction and having a limited aerating air intake port in one sideand being provided at its bottom with an aerated liquid soap intake, avalve element mounted in the body of the valve and operable for openingand closing the respective aerated air and aerated liquid soap intake, afitting operatively attached to the bottom of said valve and providedwith a depending siphoning tube, said fitting having and supporting acooperating cap, said cap having air intake ports, an elongated secondtube encasing and sheathing the first named tube and having its upperend connected to said fitting, said upper end provided with air intakeports, the lower end having a restricted soap intake orifice cooperatingwith the adjacent lower end of said first named tube.

4. In combination, a shower head assembly embodying a conduit having awater-intake nipple section at an inner end, a complemental downturnedsection at an outer end provided with a terminal manually regulatableshower head, the inner adjacent end portions of said sections beingaxially aligned and connected together by an intervening coupling havinga gradually enlarged axial passage tapering and constituting a venturirestriction, a median portion of said coupling being provided with aproportionally restricted auxiliary orifice and further provided with adepending globe-type valve the passage of which is in communication withsaid venturi restriction by Way of said auxiliary orifice, said globevalve having a limited aerating intake port in one side and having avalve element which is conveniently and accessibly openable andcontrollable, an elongated siphoning tube communicatively joined at anupper end to the lower end of the passage in said valve and dependingtherefrom and open at its bottom, a container attaching and supportingcap provided with air vents and a depending screw-threaded rim port-ion,a. concentrated liquid soap container having a neck at its upper end connected to and suspended removably from said rim portion, said siphoningtube extending axially down into said container and having its lower endterminating adjacent the bottom of the container portion thereof, and asecond tube complemental to said siphoning tube and enclosing saidsiphoning tube and having an upper end cooperatively associated withsaid cap and the upper end of said siphoning tube and provided withcircumferentially spaced air intake ports, the lower end of said secondtube enclosing the lower open end of said siphoning tube, being radiallyspaced therefrom and providing a soap concentrate receiving and mixingchamber and being provided with at least one relatively restricted soapseepage hole communicating with said container portion and said chamber,respectively, and located at a level above the level of the lower openend of said siphoning tube as well as above the terminal bottom of saidsecond tube.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,183,639 12/1939Burdick 222--564 2,582,805 1/ 1952 Trumbour et al. 239426 2,699,7311/1955 Pollock et al. 239--318 2,728,609 12/1955 Pollock et al. l376042,800,313 7/1957 Targosh et al. 239--318 3,071,081 1/1963 Mullick239-318 3,090,564 5/1963 Gilmour 239-318 3,106,345 10/1963 Wukowitz239318 3,119,404 1/1964 Lawrence 137-604 3,128,949 4/ 1964 Kaufman239-318 M. HENSON WOOD, JR., Primary Examiner. EVERETT W. KIRBY,Examiner.

1. IN COMBINATION, A SHOWER HEAD ASSEMBLY EMBODYING A CONDUIT HAVING AWATER-INTAKE NIPPLE SECTION AT AN INNER END, A NOZZLE DOWNTURNED SECTIONAT AN OUTER END PROVIDED WITH A TERMINAL MANUALLY REGULATABLE SHOWERHEAD, THE INNER ADJACENT END PORTIONS OF SAID SECTIONS BEING AXIALLYALIGNED AND CONNECTED TOGETHER BY AN INTERVENING COUPLING HAVING AGRADUALLY ENLARGED AXIAL PASSAGE THERETHROUGH, SAID PASSAGE TAPERING ANDCONSTITUTING VENTURI RESTRICTION, A MEDIAN PORTION OF SAID COUPLINGBEING PROVIDED WITH A PROPORTIONALLY RESTRICTED AUXILIARY ORIFICE ANDFURTHER PROVIDED WITH A DEPENDING GLOBE-TYPE VALVE THE PASSAGE OF WHICHIS IN COMMUNICATION WITH SAID VENTURI BY WAY OF AUXILIARY ORIFICE, SAIDGLOBE VALVE HAVING A LIMITED AERATING INTAKE PORT IN ONE SIDE AND HAVINGA VALVE ELEMENT WHICH IS CONVENIENTLY AND ACCESSIBLY OPENABLE ANDCONTROLLABLE, AN ELONGATED SIPHONING TUBE CONNECTED COMMUNICATIVELY ATAN UPPER END TO THE LOWER END OF THE PASSAGE IN SAID VALVE AND DEPENDINGTHEREFROM AND OPEN AT ITS BOTTOM, A CONTAINER ATTACHING AND SUPPORTINGCAP HAVING A TOP PORTION PROVIDED WITH AIR VENTS AND A DEPENDINGSCREW-THREADED RIM PORTION, A CONCENTRATED LIQUID SOAP CONTAINER HAVINGA NECK AT ITS UPPER END CONNECTED TO AND SUSPENDED REMOVABLY FROM SAIDRIM PORTION, SAID SHIPHONING TUBE EXTENDING AXIALLY DOWN INTO THECONTAINER PORTION OF THE CONTAINER AND HAVING ITS LOWER END TERMINATINGADJACENT THE BOTTOM THEREOF, AND A SECOND TUBE COMPLEMENTAL TO SAIDSIPHONING TUBE AND ENCLOSING SAID SIPHONING TUBE AND HAVING AN UPPER ENDCOOPERATIVELY ASSOCIATED WITH SAID CAP AND THE UPPER END OF SAIDSIPHONING TUBE AND PROVIDED WITH CIRCUMFERENTIALLY SPACED AIR INTAKEPORTS, THE LOWER END OF SAID SECOND TUBE ENCLOSING THE LOWER OPEN END OFSAID SIPHONING TUBE, BEING RADIALLY SPACED THEREFROM AND PROVIDING ASOAP CONCENTRATE RECEIVING AND MIXING CHAMBER AND PROVIDED WITH A SINGLERESTRICTED SOAP SEEPAGE HOLE COMMUNICATING WITH THE CONTAINER PORTIONAND SAID CHAMBER AND LOCATED AT A LEVEL ABOVE THE LEVEL OF THE LOWEROPEN END OF SAID SIPHONING TUBE.